Building relationships

One of the ongoing themes I see emerging from the student teacher experience is the requirement of building relationships with students. The "problem children" require a lot of attention and normally will not recognize authoritative rolls if they do not know who you are. These children depend on consistency and do not react well to change. As a student teacher, my roll is temporary within the school but it is very important to develop bonds with the students within the school - most especially the students that then to cause problems within the class. As part of my first several weeks I will be learning my students' names (~280 total).

One such case includes a student named Vanessa. During the first several days of class Mrs. Carey and I would sit in the front of the class. I would introduce myself to the class, take attendance, and then Mrs. Carey would go on with her lesson. During the first lesson that Vanessa had been in class with me, she began asking me (during Mrs. Carey's presentation mind you) if I wanted to buy girl scout cookies. I'm all for entrepreneurship, but there is a right time and place for everything - during class time is definitely not the right time nor the right place.